9/4/2011
Lexington, Virginia is the site of the Virginia Military Institute – sometimes referred to as the “West Point of the South.” Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee are among the famous instructors in a pedigree that stretches back to the Revolutionary era.
The architecture of the campus is very unique. The whole place is obviously designed to invoke a fortress, which is fitting. The school doesn’t seem to be a big tourist destination – bear in mind, it’s an active college – so we felt like we got to be vicarious about cadet life. Uniformed cadets were going to and fro to their duties. I gave Laura dispensation to stare with her tongue hanging out for our entire visit.
There is a VMI museum on campus that is free to the public, with a healthy dose of Stonewall Jackson memorabilia. The claim to fame is Jackson’s horse, stuffed and crammed into a glass case. Daniel was impressed by this.
(We couldn’t escape from Stonewall Jackson on this trip - from the site of where he got his nickname, the site of his death, his mother's house, etc. - so I wrote a song to entertain my fellow passengers, to the tune of Frère Jacques. It goes something like this:
Stonewall Jackson!
Stonewall Jackson!
You are great!
You are great!
Everybody loves you!
Everybody loves you!
Let’s stuff your horse!
Stuff your horse!)
All in all, the VMI was a nice way to end our trip. As always, we much prefer these non-touristy spots that highlight a part of American life we might not experience on our own. How can you get to know America without meeting the American soldier?
From Laura: Yes, I think that any man--no matter how ugly or old-- is positively handsome in a military uniform. Yes my tongue was definitely hanging out. You know, I was just appreciating the view. Anyway, I liked the fortress look. And the song? It was entertaining for about 5.2 seconds.
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